


Together

by tamedtyrant



Category: Andromeda Six (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:09:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29881629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tamedtyrant/pseuds/tamedtyrant
Summary: Vexx is recovering after the shot. Nova's on the verge of a breakdown (again). Though mostly fluff, I promise.
Relationships: Vexx Serif/Original Female Character(s), Vexx Serif/Traveler
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Together

**Author's Note:**

> A fanfic I absolutely HAD to write after that cliffhanger to mend my poor heart. If you are hopeless Vexx-mancers like me, you get it. Hope you'll enjoy.

Everything was wrong. So wrong. Was I the reason? Maybe it's just that nothing can go right in my life? Some doom? Bad luck? Maybe I was born under some particularly unlucky star? 

No, I should not think this way. I mean, it pretty much can be true, but these are egotistical thoughts. I can't just pity myself when it is Vexx who was shot. It is Vexx who is lying now in the Infirmary, unconscious, while Ryona is fiddling with his wound.

It all happened very quickly. I barely noticed the second gunshot — when Calderon took off the shooter. I didn't even see who it was. I only saw Vexx, who slowly started to fall down, taking me with him under his weight. Then Damon popped out right in front of me and threw Vexx's hand over his shoulder, almost running with him to the ship. Someone — I think, Bash — scooped me up right from the ground. Everything was happening real quickly.

And now I was sitting on the floor next to the door to the infirmary, slightly shaking and biting my thumb nail. He can't die. He just can't. Right? If he was dead, someone's already told me. If they are there so long, then he's alive. Ryona is fighting for his life, right? Right?!

I sobbed and pressed the palms of my hands to the face. I never was really religious, but now I was ready to call upon any deities willing to listen.

_Please_ , I thought. _Please, don't let him die. Not now. Not like that. He's everything I got. All I have left._

The door slid open with a quiet whiz. I immediately jerked up to look at Damon. 

"He's fine." He assured me right away. "Ry said if the bullet got an inch higher, it'd fracture a lung. An inch to the left — heart. He's one lucky son of a bitch." Damon chuckled, sliding down next to me.

I watched him with glazed and probably red eyes, almost not registering his words.

"Do you hear me?" He nudged me with his shoulder. "He's okay. The bullet went right through, no organs were hurt. Ryona put on some patches on him like on a holed sock. Couple of days, and he'll be as good as new. Yeah?"

Damon looked at me intensely to make sure I understand his words. I nodded anxiously. Vexx is fine. He'll live. That's the only thing that I truly understood. He'll be okay.

"Can I…" My voice broke, I cleared throat and tried again. "Can I see him?"

And again that infuriating all-knowing smile.

"Well, you'd better ask Ryona on that, but… Ah, hell, just tell her I grant you a pass or something. Being your boss and everything."

"Don't know if it is a good enough reason for Ryona." I smiled nervously. 

"What do you mean?" Damon either was truly offended by my words or feigned offense pretty well. "I am the second-in-command on this ship, if you forget!"

"Yeah, but I have a strong impression that even Calderon is a little bit scared of Ryona." I admitted.

"True." Damon chuckled. "Still, she won't kick you out. Or she will. One way or another you'll never know until you try." He patted me on the knee and started to stand up. "Anyway, I should report to Cal about everything. Looks like we have another stray stowaway onboard. It's like we reclassified from mercenaries into some Salvation Army." He shook his head. "Before long we'll need a bigger ship."

I watched him leave and stood up as well. Should I? I raised a hand to knock on the door, but froze. Vexx was fine. He probably needed his rest now, but I won't be able to sleep if I don't see him. I just had to make sure he's really okay and breathing, to see it with my own eyes. Taking a breath, I knocked.

After a couple of seconds the door slid open, and I faced very tired Ryona. She smiled as if wasn't surprised at all to see me.

"How is he?"

"Sleeping. I sedated him — it helps to ease the pain. Also this way all the strength of his body will be thrown to recovery." She rubbed her eyes. "He'll wake up in a couple of hours, so I will change his bandages then and, probably, inject a new dose of painkillers and sedatives. But for now he's good, and I wanted to have a quick nap."

I nodded, trying not to look disappointed. I really hoped I could see him. Ryona watched me for a couple of seconds before asking:

"Nova, how do you think, could you stay with him for a while? It'd be good if someone took an eye on him just in case."

"Y-yes? I mean, yes, sure!"

"Thank you. That will be really helpful." She smiled warmly. "Anyway, I should go. I need to ease my eyes for a bit."

"Sure." I nodded, but when Ryona went by me I caught her on the sleeve. "Thank you. For… everything, you know. For tending him, even though, well…"

"Nova." She squeezed my hand. "There's nothing to it. I'm glad I can help. Moreover, I feel like I am absolutely bound to, considering how we started…" She admitted, a little bit ashamed. 

"You mean how you held a gun to his head?"

"Yes. That." Ryona sighed. 

"You did what you thought was right. If I… I mean, if I didn't know him…"

"It's okay, Nova, really. He's yours — it means he's ours now, too, regardless of any possible hard feelings."

"W-what?" I squeaked. "Where did that come from?"

Ryona frowned a little, still smiling, though.

"Almost fooled me."

"A-anyway…" I coughed. "Do you think you maybe could send that 'he's ours now' message to Calderon? Somehow I can tell he won't be ecstatic about this whole thing."

"I will if I must." Ryona promised seriously, and I immediately believed her.

"Thanks again."

"Goodnight, Nova. Try to take a nap as well, will you?"

"Okay."

"I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Yeah, sleep well."

I hurried into the infirmary. As always, it smelled divine here — something fresh and floral, and a bit sweet. All the lights were off, except for some kind of a nightlight near Vexx's bed.

"Oh, Vexx…" I carefully tiptoed to him, afraid to wake him up. His face, pale from the blood loss, seemed even paler because of a dim, bluish light of a bed lamp, bestowing an ominous, slightly otherworldly look upon his face.

I sat down into a creaky vinyl chair near his bed. So much happened for the last whole day. The man I thought long gone and lost for me forever behind the clog of whatever Zovak has made to him was as close as ever. I really believed that Ryona can help him. That we will find a way to cure him. I still do. And then — I almost died, we kissed, and… And he got shot.

Without thinking I reached and raked my hand through his hair. Then again. Soon enough I was caressing him, stroking dark red strands. Somehow this — his living warmth, his heavy but calm breathing — made me calmer as well. It was all that mattered, really. That he was alive and breathing. And with me. Some time later I leaned back in the chair, doubling one leg in, and just watched him. It was my turn to cherish and protect him. To be there for him.

…

Someone's hand squeezed my knee gently. I blearily blinked. Did I fall asleep? I rubbed my eyes and caught in focus a dear face. 

"Vexx!" I jerked up, reaching for him. "You're awake! How do you feel? Does it hurt a lot?"

"Hey, hey, Princess, breathe." He held up a hand. "I'm fine." Seeing my incredulous face he added. "No, really. Not my first bullet."

"You -" I gasped. "You were shot before?"

"Once." Reluctantly admitted Vexx. 

"What? When?"

"Let's say I didn't start missing the feeling yet."

I frowned thinking about his words. 

"How much time should pass to start missing the shot wound?"

"Exactly."

I waited for him to tell more, but he didn't. Then I just sighed. Vexx rolled his head to look at me. 

"Sorry for worrying you."

"Guess we're even now." I joked a bit bitterly. 

"No, it's two — one."

"Well, agree to not draw it to a stand-off, then?"

"I'll try."

He reached for my hand. Mesmerized, I watched our fingers twining and untwining. Then I remembered something. 

"Oh! I should probably go for Ryona…"

The same exact moment the door to the infirmary slid open. 

"No need." Tilaari smiled. "How's our patient?"

"Peachy." Vexx smirked both to the doctor and me when I jerked back instinctively, freeing my hand.

"Can you sit up?" Ryona came to him with the same pen-looking tool she mended the wound on my head. 

"Yeah." Vexx put his hands on bed sides to drag himself up. I tried to help him, but he only rolled his eyes.

The sheet he was covered with slid down to his waist, revealing his torso. Just below his chest there was a square surgical dressing with a single blood drop strained through. If Ryona's operations were anything to go by, similar dressing was on his back.

"As far as I can tell everything seems good." Ryona traced his back and abdomen with her instrument, checking its data. "No internal bleeding, which is good… A little bit of bleeding around the edges, but we can fix it."

The skin over Vexx's wound looked strange. Bright pink and a bit raw, but all in all it looked like he was shot days (if not weeks) ago, and not single hours. I absentmindedly thought that Ryona truly is an incredible doctor.

With the same multitool she cauterized sides of bleeding wounds and applied new dressings.

"You are really lucky, Vexx." She noted. 

"Right. Not so lucky, though, as to not being shot in the first place." He darkly mused, slowly lying down back on the pillow. 

"I'd like to give you some more painkillers and tranquilizers — they'll help you to sleep soundly till the morning."

"No." Vexx immediately rejected. "No more tranquilizers." Then added. "Please."

"There's no need to keep a brave face."

"I'm not, I promise, I'm okay."

Ryona sent a quick and for some reason disapproving glance my way and sighed. 

"Alright. I'll leave some painkiller pills and a glass of water by your side if you change your mind."

She went to put away her instruments, then returned with medicines.

"Thank you." I heartedly said when she left them on a bed table.

Ryona smiled and looked at Vexx again.

"Vexx, I should apologize to you."

Judging by his look he was absolutely lost.

"Huh?"

"Back on Cursa, when we… met… I threatened to kill you and the words I said…"

"Let me stop you right here, Doc. You did the right thing. I was a total unpredictable mess. I still am. Besides, I think we can call it even after you saved my life."

Ryona's nod was a bit strained, as if she wasn't so sure about it.

"We'll find a way to remedy whatever Zovak did to you."

"I'm starting to believe that if anyone can do it, then it's you." Vexx chuckled. 

Ryona seriously nodded again and went to the door. 

"Goodnight to you both."

"Goodnight, Doc. Thank you." When the door closed, Vexx turned to me. "I like her."

"Ryona is great." I agreed solemnly. "But I agree with her. No need to put a tough front."

"I am not, telling you. Believe it or not, I had it worse. Besides… I wanted to talk to you a bit longer."

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes, even though I flushed a little. 

"We have tomorrow, and the day after… Maybe even the day after that, too." I joked. 

"I'm not so sure." Vexx answered honestly.

My merry mood darkened. Right. Zovak. Vexx's… glitch, I guess?

"Pain helps me to stay grounded. In a way. But I don't know how long it will last."

"You heard Ryona — we'll cure you."

"What a bunch of philanthropic good-doers flying through the Universe and looking for poor souls in trouble you've found yourself." Vexx snorted. 

"We are more of fugitives than philanthropists."

"Then I'll fit right in. Wait, 'we'?"

I shrugged. 

"I know it will not bring Nerissa back, and I definitely do not need that throne, but Zovak will not have it either. Calderon wants him dead. I do as well, I guess. For more than one reason."

Vexx's gaze was fond and sad. 

"Look at you, all grown up and on a warpath." He sighed. "You remind me of…"

"Stop. Please. I'm nothing like her. Nerissa was strong and determined, and I am just lost and scared and most of the time don't know what am I doing."

Nerissa was so much better than me. It didn't help her, though, when… 

I clutched my head.

"Please, let's talk about something else. Anything, really."

"Then, maybe, you can explain to me how come you are working on Reznor?"

I couldn't not smile. 

"Honestly? I mean, I didn't remember anything back then, of course, but I think on some level — unconsciously — he, well… he reminded me of you."

Vexx barked a laugh and winced. 

"What are you talking about? He wishes he was that cool."

For some time we grew silent. Then Vexx started moving to the side of the bed. 

"What are you doing? Vexx, you shouldn't move!"

"I'm just making some room."

"Wh-" I finally realized. "I do not think this is a good idea. You need a proper rest, and…"

"And so do you, but this chair doesn't look like it can provide it. Or are you saying you'll leave me here all alone and suffering?"

I glared at him, but Vexx only patted the bed, unperturbed.

"You know, that is exactly what I should do just to teach you a lesson." I growled, kicking off my shoes and very carefully lying near him.

Vexx stretched one hand for me to lie on it and pulled me closer. I tailed my hand away from his body, not knowing how to not disturb his wound. Finally I deliberately put it across his lower abdomen. 

"Is it okay?"

"I'd say that you can put it a bit lower still, but I have a feeling you are not in the mood for such jokes."

I huffed in exasperation, hoping he didn't feel how hot my cheek was. Instead I tilted my head and kissed his jaw. 

"Mm…" Vexx smiled. "That's nice."

"Goodnight, Vexx."

"Goodnight, Nova. Sweet dreams."

Soon I did fall asleep, relaxed and calm, feeling his fingers caressing my hair. The words I said to Ryona earlier came to my mind on the verge of a dream — _Everything will be alright while we are together._


End file.
